Why is offsetting important to buyers and sellers of a futures contract?

A. It allows a trader to close out or eliminate a position in a contract before the delivery date and thus avoid having to deliver or take delivery.

B. It assures that if a trader's counterparty to the futures contract defaults, then the exchange will step in and take the other side of the contract.

C. It allows the parties to a commodities contract to choose an alternative delivery location that is more suitable to both parties than the standard location.